I hadn’t planned on celebrating Martin Scorsese’s acceptance of the Honorary Golden Bear from the Berlin International Film Festival by watching his 1982 movie, The King of Comedy, but it was leaving MUBI soon, so here we are. 😊 In a way, it seemed fitting because the film holds a special place in Scorsese’s career. Despite being the opening film at the Cannes Film Festival in 1983, it was largely overlooked at the box office, earning the unfortunate title of “flop of the year” from Entertainment Tonight. It serves as a reminder that honorary awards aren’t solely reserved for those who experience constant success, but rather for those who endure the ups and downs and persist in their craft. It’s a badge of resilience more than anything else.
Continue reading “King of Comedy”Snow and the Bear
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this one for some time, and now it’s finally streaming on BluTV. By sheer chance, I happened to watch it on one of the coldest nights here, which perhaps helped me immerse myself into this deeply atmospheric, dark fairy tale.
Continue reading “Snow and the Bear”Past Lives
Do you ever wonder about meeting the right person at the wrong time? Or do you think that if they were truly the right ones, timing wouldn’t really matter, and you would find a way to be together no matter what? Do you think most of our connections with people happen by chance? And could that feeling of familiarity when our eyes meet really mean we know them from our past lives, just like it’s believed in Buddhism? Should we just feel lucky that our paths crossed in this life time with someone special, even if it’s just once? The 2023 movie “Past Lives” explores these questions in an elegant, tender, and yet powerful way.
Continue reading “Past Lives”The Night of the 12th
This film was quite the ride, I must say. While the more contemplative side of me understood the filmmaker’s choice to leave the ending open, the police procedural junkie inside was practically screaming, “Just give me the damn killer! You can’t leave me hanging like that,” when the credits rolled. 😊
Continue reading “The Night of the 12th”The Society of the Snow
Honestly, I’m not particularly drawn to survival dramas, but I felt compelled to explore this one since it’s nominated for the Oscar Best International Feature Film, representing Spain. As I delved into reviews and filmmaker interviews, I found myself more intrigued by the process of making such a large-scale movie than the film itself.
Continue reading “The Society of the Snow”Leila’s Brothers
Picture yourself as the smartest and most courageous member of your family. You see a way out of the corner you’re all stuck in. But sadly, just because you’re a woman, your voice doesn’t count. That’s the tragedy of Leila. But as the title suggests, it’s not only Leila’s story; it’s also about her brothers.
Continue reading “Leila’s Brothers”Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Still on my quest for movies featuring older women as protagonists, I stumbled upon “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” after thoroughly enjoying “The Lady in the Van”. Let me tell you, it’s a genuine and touching film (pun not intended).
This British comedy-drama premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022. It follows a middle-aged woman who decides to hire a young sex worker to experience pleasure for the first time in her life. It’s a hot topic, for sure. 🙂
Continue reading “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”Arab Blues
Manele Labidi has been busy putting the final touches on her upcoming second feature film, ‘Queen Mom’ lately, but I recently had the chance to catch her debut, ‘Arab Blues.’ I enjoyed its light tone and how the nostalgic Italian songs created that breezy Mediterranean vibe.
Continue reading “Arab Blues”The Boss & Nothing
Just have to share my latest obsession – Mariano Cohn and Gaston Duprat’s series, ‘El Encargado’ (The Boss) and ‘Nada’ (Nothing). Apparently, this Argentine filmmaker duo has a knack for creating characters that you shouldn’t really like but somehow end up totally loving. In both of the shows, I think the tone, comedic timing and dialogues are just brilliant. Also, I can’t help but feel the filmmakers’ confidence in their storytelling. They don’t rush things or overload the plot. It’s really refreshing and inspiring to see.
Continue reading “The Boss & Nothing”In America
So, here are some Irish folks not hanging out in ‘Belfast’ but ‘In America’ this time.😊 After checking out Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” I decided to dive into “In America,” a 2002 film that follows an Irish family’s journey to start afresh in Manhattan. Just like how Belfast echoes Branagh’s Irish childhood, “In America” pulls from Jim Sheridan’s own life experiences.
Continue reading “In America”